


The Date

by The_Lady_Crane



Series: The Odd Couple [12]
Category: Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Awkward Dates, Awkwardness, Christmas Decorations, Dating, First Dates, Fluff, Humor, I'm Bad At Summaries, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, M/M, Male Slash, Mild Language, Out of Character, Romance, Shounen-ai, Silly, Silly Drama, Yaoi, very mild talking about sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 20:26:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16981236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lady_Crane/pseuds/The_Lady_Crane
Summary: Meta Knight asks Marth out on a date, but Marth has no idea what to do. Fortunately, Peach and friends come to the rescue. Unfortunately, they run afoul of Meta Knight's true intentions...





	The Date

**Author's Note:**

> I have to thank Beachball42 for this. A comment they left on one of my stories gave me this idea, and I just had to write it down! You'll see what I mean at the end, if you know which comment I'm talking about. And since it's the holiday season, I'm in a mood for fluff, anyway. I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Be warned, the characters are probably over the top OOC here. I mean, they're OOC in most of my works, but Peach in particular is just balls to the wall hyperactive. Sorry to anyone who thinks she's too out there. I had way too much fun writing this, and got a little carried away, and then it ended up being a catalyst for the story. X/

“Let’s go somewhere tonight.”

Marth looked up from his book, startled by the sudden proposition. Meta Knight’s face was still buried in his own book, but he was eyeing Marth out of the corner of his visor. “Where do you want to go?” Marth asked.

“There’s a café in town,” Meta Knight said.

“Sounds fun,” Marth smiled at the knight. “I guess I should go and change, if you want to go before dark…”

Meta Knight nodded, and watched as Marth stood and walked across the picnic grounds. It was winter again already, and the brown grass was still covered in red and gold leaves – the time for snow hadn’t quite arrived. Marth’s crunching footsteps faded as he disappeared through the trees. Meta Knight let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He had to make sure that everything went well.

Meanwhile, Marth was heading for his room when Peach intercepted him in the front hall. “Oh, Marth! I’m so glad I ran into you.” The princess bustled over to Marth, who smiled politely. “I was just getting the girls together for a little tea party. Would you care to join us?”

“That sounds, uh, lovely,” Marth said, backing up a little. “But I have plans with Meta Knight.” Truthfully, he would have made plans on the spot even if Meta Knight hadn’t asked him to go out that night. Since learning about his and Meta Knight’s relationship, Peach had started taking a great interest in him. He had no idea what that was about, but it left him feeling slightly unsettled. As for “tea with the girls”, Marth had to wonder if she would have invited Ike or Roy. For some reason, she seemed determined to group him together with her little flock.

Marth fought back a twitch that threatened to develop in his eye. It wasn’t worth thinking about now.

“Oh, a match?” Peach asked, her enthusiasm somewhat diminished but still showing a polite interest in Marth’s plans.

“No, we’re going to a café in town,” Marth said.

The squeal that escaped Peach startled Marth more than a little. He very nearly fell back, and had to rub against his ear to ease the ache. “You’re going OUT?!” She clapped her hands together in delight. “How wonderful! This will be your first date, won’t it?”

“Uh… Date?”

“Oh, you know: a date! When someone asks you out.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with that term.

“Well, now you are,” Peach giggled. “So, what are you wearing?”

“Oh, I was just going to put on my armor.” The town near Smash Castle was relatively peaceful, but one always ran the risk of bumping into another Smasher who wanted to initiate an impromptu match.

Peach looked horrified. “You can’t wear armor on a date!” she said, and despite his determination to remain composed in the face of her hysteria, he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of worry.

“There are rules about… dates?”

“Of course!” Peach put a hand to her cheek. “My, my… You don’t even know… Marth, there are several rules of conduct you should follow when going on a date. And this will be your first one. It’s a very important occasion!”

A surge of panic rushed through him. “I… I didn’t know,” he said. “Princess Peach, can you please tell me what the rules are?” He hated feeling unprepared for anything, even in a social situation. Worst of all, he was afraid of embarrassing Meta Knight in front of other people – or of embarrassing himself in front of Meta Knight. The thought was somehow more daunting than a major battle. He would rather have gone a few more rounds with Medeus.

“Now, now, it’ll be OK,” Peach said reassuringly. “Just meet me in your room in fifteen minutes, and we’ll get you all ready.”

Marth rushed off to his room, while Peach hustled back to the dining hall. He had to do his best to learn about dates. Once he got to his quarters, he opened his wardrobe and stood staring at the hanging clothes, frowning in concern. He had no idea what to pick. With no direction, and too agitated to sit down and wait, Marth paced back and forth until he heard a knock on the door.

Peach had arrived, along with Rosalina, Zelda, and Lucina. Marth invited them in, giving Peach a quizzical look. “I told the girls everything, and they wanted to help,” Peach explained. She carried a large pink trunk, which she promptly deposited onto the bed. “Now, then! First, let’s choose your outfit.”

“I was thinking about wearing this,” Marth reached into the wardrobe and withdrew his best suit – a white tunic with blue and gold trim, complete with blue satin pants and a gold cape. Peach wrinkled her nose, while Rosalina and Zelda shook their heads. Only Lucina seemed impressed.

“The café is hardly the place for something like that,” Rosalina said.

“Oh… I thought, since it’s a special occasion…” Marth said, but the outfit was snatched out of his hand before he could even blink. Peach began rummaging through the wardrobe, and Marth, feeling helpless, stepped aside.

“When you’re going out to a casual place, you want to dress casually,” Peach said, shifting through Marth’s clothes.

“Nice, but casual,” Rosalina added.

“The town is rather modern,” Zelda said. “It might be fun to try a more modern style of dress, too.”

“I think what he’s wearing is fine,” Lucina said, her face flushing when Marth glanced at her gratefully. “Um, but… It’s not like I know much about dating, either…”

“While I pick an outfit, you go freshen up,” Peach said.

“Freshen up?”

“Go take a shower!” Rosalina said, and her yellow luma companion pushed Marth towards the bathroom. “We’ll wait right here.”

Flustered, Marth ducked into the bathroom and shut the door, leaning against it briefly. He showered, and took a moment to check his appearance in the mirror afterwards. Why did his face suddenly seem to have so much wrong with it? He leaned forward over the sink, examining the bags under his eyes, wondering if they’d always been there.

“Here, Marth.” Marth yelped and clutched his towel as the door opened. Rather than one of the girls, though, it was the older Ike who was holding out a bundle of clothes. “Sheesh, relax. It’s only me.”

“Ike? What are you doing here?” Marth asked, snatching the clothes and holding them up against his chest to cover more of himself.

“I came by to see if you wanted a match, but Peach told me that you’re going on a date. They said I could help out.”

“Th- thanks…” Marth sighed as Ike retreated. He shook out the clothes, and examined them. Peach had chosen form-fitting black pants and a loose blue tunic. It was one of his simplest shirts, but there was something rather modern about it once he’d put it on with the pants.

When he emerged from the bathroom, Peach squealed and clapped her hands. “You look great!” she said, and Rosalina and Zelda nodded. Ike quirked an eyebrow.

“I’ve never seen you so casual,” he said.

“I suppose that’s what people wear on dates,” Lucina said. “I’ve never worn anything like that, though, when I go with…” She stopped herself abruptly, glancing around in embarrassment.

“Now, about your hair…” Peach bustled forward and patted Marth’s bangs lightly. “It always looks so good! I really can’t think of a thing to do with it.”

“Is that it?” Marth asked, anxious to get this right.

“Not so fast,” Rosalina said. “Don’t forget your shoes.” She handed him a pair of slim, black boots, which he put on.

“OK, am I ready?”

“Not yet,” Zelda said. “You look alright now, but you need to put on some fragrance.”

“F- fragrance?”

Ike snickered and crossed his arms. “You girls aren’t seriously going to spray him with perfume, are you?”

“No, I brought some cologne,” Peach said, indicating a row of crystal bottles she had lined up on the dresser. “Though, I’m not sure which would suit you…”

“This one smells nice,” Marth said, uncapping one and sniffing it.

“Yes, but it will change once it’s on you,” Peach said, snatching the bottle away. “You have to be careful with scents! Let’s try it on you…”

Trying on cologne turned out to be much more of a chore than choosing an outfit. Marth allowed Peach to spray his wrist, and then they would wait for a few minutes. Then he would present his arm while Peach, Rosalina, Zelda, and – reluctantly – Ike all smelled it. Each time, Ike said, “Smells good,” but that wasn’t enough for Peach. After each application and sniff test, Marth was told to go into the bathroom and wash his wrist in the sink. Then it was back out to the bedroom to try on another scent, and to repeat the process. It took eight tries before Peach, Rosalina, and Zelda all agreed on one. Lucina had been too shy to participate (“You want me to sniff the Hero King? You’re insane!”).

Marth was glad that the long sleeves of his tunic hid the red patch that had been rubbed into his wrist from all the scrubbing. Peach sprayed a little of the cologne onto his neck, and Rosalina handed Marth his circlet. “Now am I ready?” he asked, somewhat exasperated.

“Almost,” Peach said. “Now we need to go over etiquette. Who’s going to pay for this evening? Did you discuss that?”

“Ah, no…” Marth blushed. He hadn’t realized he’d let such an important decision slide.

“That’s alright,” Rosalina said. “Generally, the person asking you out is the person paying. But it wouldn’t hurt to take along some money.”

“Right.” Marth went to his dresser and grabbed a small coin pouch. “OK, what’s next?”

“Well, obviously you need to decide where you’re gonna do it,” Ike said, and Peach and Zelda looked at him as if he’d just announced his impending combustion. “What? That’s what a date’s all about. You meet up for coffee or whatever, maybe go for a walk, and then have sex.”

“Ike, that is not why people go on dates!” Peach huffed.

“I thought it was…” Lucina mumbled.

“We’re not talking about Captain Falcon,” Peach said, sending Lucina into a spluttering fit. “Meta Knight is a gentleman. This is a classy date!”

“Heh. Yeah, right,” Ike said. “Men only ask people out when they want to do it. Right, Marth?”

Marth blushed. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business.”

“See?” Ike smirked at Peach, who sighed in disgust.

“Marth, don’t listen to Ike,” she said. “There is no rule saying that you have to have… relations on a date. Not even if it’s the first one.”

“There isn’t?!” Lucina blurted out. “I- I mean… Of course, there isn’t. That’s ridiculous…” But she seemed a bit angry after this, and soon left, muttering something about finding Captain Falcon and giving him a kick in the teeth.

“You should suggest something to do after going to the café,” Zelda said. “Sir Meta Knight invited you there, so it would be a good show of interest to take him somewhere he enjoys, too.”

“Oh, he likes going to the library,” Marth said.

“No, no, you need someplace romantic!” Peach said. “How about the lake? It’d be so nice, out under the stars…”

“You could see a movie,” Rosalina said. “There’s a little theater in town.”

“That sounds good,” Marth said, more to prevent an argument than anything else. “Is there anything else?”

“Well, if you’re going to the movies, there are extra rules,” Peach said. “You’ll need to choose the right movie, and you’ll want to lean against him at just the right moment…”

“It’s so complicated…” Marth sighed. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to remember everything.”

“Oh! I have an idea!” Rosalina said, standing up from the bed. “Why don’t we ask for Mewtwo’s help?”

“Whatever for?” Peach asked, surprised. “Do you think he’d have a solution?”

“We can use his psychic powers,” Rosalina explained. “Through him, we should be able to communicate with Marth. That way, we can advise him every step of the way.”

“I don’t know…” Marth said. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable having you watch us.”

Ike laughed. “Why not? You said yourself that it’s not a sex date.”

“It really does seem like the logical choice,” Zelda said. “That way, you won’t commit any _faux pas_.”

“Besides, I’m sure we won’t be able to see anything, or hear what’s going on,” Rosalina said. “We’ll simply be on hand to give you advice if you need it.”

In the end, Marth had to agree. He was too afraid of making a mistake. “I’d better go,” he said. “Meta Knight didn’t say when to meet him, but I’m sure he’s waiting…” Evening was already wearing on.

As Peach, Rosalina, Zelda, and Ike went to find Mewtwo, Marth went downstairs and found Meta Knight in the foyer. Any doubts Marth might have had about Peach’s advice were dispelled as Meta Knight’s eyes flashed orange. “That look suits you,” the knight said.

If Peach’s fashion advice had been on the mark, then perhaps she and the others would be able to guide him through the date smoothly. Smiling, Marth followed Meta Knight through the front doors and into the chilly air. This was going to be a night to remember.

>>><<< 

Smashville, as the Smashers had dubbed it, was a tiny little town situated not far from the castle. Master Hand had put it there to serve as a distraction for his Smashers, and had furnished it with restaurants, shops, and other venues for entertainment.

Strictly speaking, there were no citizens of Smashville. The stores were run by Master Hand’s phantom servants, or were automated entirely. As the roster increased, though, the town became more active. Marth and Meta Knight were hardly the only people in the café on the north corner of Central Square – aptly named North Corner Café. Samus was sitting with Snake in a corner, and Donkey Kong and his little sidekick were enjoying a heaping plate of banana bread at the counter. All of the Animal Crossing villagers were gathered around three tables grouped together, with Isabelle at the head of the party; apparently this was a sort of welcome gathering for her to supplement the official induction party that had already been held.

Marth and Meta Knight chose a table near the large front windows. The place was clean and softly lit by dim lanterns above each table. Painted in muted browns, orange, and green, it seemed like the perfect place to spend the evening. Marth relaxed into the padded chair, and breathed in the scent of coffee and muffins.

“Have you been here before?” Meta Knight asked.

“No,” Marth said. “It’s very peaceful in here, isn’t it?”

Meta Knight had to agree. Despite the other patrons, it was a quiet place with a nice atmosphere. In their current seats, they had a great view of the fountain in the middle of the town square. It was glistening in the sunset, and Meta Knight had to congratulate himself on a spot well chosen. This was well on the way to being a romantic outing.

As Marth examined the chalkboard menu above the counter, a voice rang out in his head, almost making him jump: _“Marth! Can you hear me?”_

 _“Princess Peach?”_ he thought, wondering if he truly was hearing her voice, and if she could hear him.

 _“Oh, goody! It worked!”_ There was no mistaking that bubbly voice.

Feigning interest in the menu, Marth leaned over a bit so his expression was hidden from Meta Knight. _“Mewtwo actually agreed to help us?”_

 _“Yes, he doesn’t mind,”_ Peach said.

 _“You do realize that my time is precious, though,”_ a deeper, masculine voice cut in.

_“Is this Mewtwo? Um, sorry for the trouble… They only wanted to help me.”_

_“Understood. Just don’t take up too much of my time.”_

_“Of course not!”_ Peach chirped. _“OK, now. Are you in the café?”_

 _“We are.”_ Marth glanced at Meta Knight, who was looking at him curiously. “I think I’ll try a latte,” he said aloud. “What are you having?”

 _“Be sure to compliment his taste in bringing you there,”_ Peach said.

“Black coffee,” Meta Knight said. “And… a chocolate cookie.”

Marth wanted to comment on Meta Knight’s choice. It was a little-known fact that the knight had a sweet tooth, and Marth rarely missed an opportunity to tease him about it. Instead, following Peach’s advice, he said, “This really is a nice place. You must have great taste in atmosphere.”

 _“Perfect!”_ Peach said.

“I suppose so,” Meta Knight said.

Their order arrived, carried by invisible hands. Marth had tried coffee before, but the latte here was surprisingly good. They chatted about this for a bit, but Meta Knight wasn’t one for polite conversation. Soon they were just staring out the window, watching as other Smashers walked past and as the sun sank over the buildings.

It was comfortable to sit in silence with Meta Knight, but Marth was starting to feel that he was allowing something to lag. _“We’re enjoying our coffee, but I don’t know what I should do now,”_ Marth thought.

 _“Now you should do something spontaneous and sweet,”_ Rosalina’s voice came through the connection.

 _“You should play footsie!”_ Peach said.

 _“What is… footsie?”_ Marth asked, perplexed.

 _“Tap your foot against his under the table,”_ Peach explained. _“It’s cute! You should try it.”_

Cheeks dusted pink, Marth grit his teeth and lifted his foot. Unfortunately, Meta Knight’s feet were up near the seat of the chair. After flailing around a bit, Marth couldn’t find anything to tap against.

“Are you alright?” Meta Knight asked.

“Oh, yes. Just… adjusting.” Marth straightened up, and then tried again. Finally, the tip of his boot tapped against something. Meta Knight didn’t seem to notice. _“He isn’t reacting,”_ Marth thought.

 _“Try tapping him harder,”_ Ike’s voice came through.

Marth pulled back, and tapped again, a bit harder this time. Meta Knight paused with his coffee cup raised slightly, and looked at Marth curiously. _“I think he noticed,”_ Marth thought.

 _“Now wait and see if he taps you back,”_ Peach said.

A full minute passed, and Meta Knight just stared at Marth. The silence was an uncomfortable one, and Marth could feel the back of his neck prickling. “Um, I was just…” he mumbled, returning his feet to the floor. “I was stretching my leg. Sorry about that…”

Meta Knight said nothing, but continued to stare at Marth as he drank his coffee.

_“I think it’s becoming awkward… What should I do?”_

_“Didn’t he play back?”_ Peach sounded disappointed.

 _“Men don’t play footsie,”_ Ike said. _“He probably didn’t know what you were doing.”_

 _“But it’s such a nice thing to do on a date,”_ Peach sighed.

Bracing himself against the table, Marth lifted his foot again and aimed at Meta Knight’s. He was determined to do it right. This time, he surged forward with such force that he nearly knocked the knight out of his chair.

“Are you alright?” Meta Knight asked irritably, holding onto the table. “Too much caffeine?”

“N- no, sorry, I just… I didn’t mean…” Marth wanted to die right then and there.

“Perhaps we should go for a walk,” Meta Knight suggested. “Burn off some excess energy.”

_“Ooh, a walk is perfect! They’re putting up the holiday lights in town. Why not go see them once the sun goes down?”_

“We could go see the lights,” Marth said, echoing Peach.

“That’s a fine idea,” Meta Knight said, and they left after paying their tab.

Deep shadows were falling now, and some of the lights were being turned on. Strings of multicolored balls twinkled in the shop windows, and garlands of evergreen wound around the light posts. Each lamp was topped with a winding red ribbon and gold tinsel, which reflected the last dying rays of the sun.

“Let’s sit over here,” Meta Knight said, leading Marth to a bench in the town square. “We’ll be able to see the lights as soon as they all come on.”

They sat together, and Marth scooted closer until he could feel Meta Knight’s warmth. The knight seemed to be absorbed in people-watching and didn’t look at him. _“We’re sitting in the square, waiting for the lights,”_ Marth thought.

 _“Hey, Marth! This is Pit!”_ a new voice spoke up, and Marth almost groaned. How many people was Peach planning on inviting to this date? _“Mewtwo had to bail, but we’re using Lady Palutena’s powers to communicate with you.”_

 _“Yoo-hoo!”_ the goddess chimed, and Marth wanted to slap himself. Why was this happening?

 _“Why don’t you take his hand?”_ Peach said. _“Now would be the perfect time.”_

 _“I can’t do that,”_ Marth thought.

 _“Why on Earth not?”_ Rosalina asked.

_“We’re in public. Meta Knight has never wanted to do anything like this in front of others… and I’m a little hesitant, myself.”_

_“Oh, come on!”_ Peach whined. _“Now’s the time to take your relationship farther!”_

 _“Yeah, just go for it, Marth!”_ someone else said.

 _“Who is that?”_ Marth asked, frowning.

_“It’s Robin. I saw everyone gathered around Lady Palutena, and I was curious.”_

_“Hehey, Marth, you dog!”_ That voice was unmistakably Falco. _“If you wanted dating advice, why didn’t ya say so?”_

“Ugh!” Marth put his head in his hands. This was turning into a disaster.

“What is it?”

Marth’s head snapped up, and he realized that Meta Knight was looking at him. Shame bubbled in Marth’s stomach. It was their first real date, and he’d spent the entire time talking to other people. “Nothing,” he said. “Just a headache that came on suddenly.”

They were sitting with their hands barely touching, and Marth began to think about sliding his over to cover Meta Knight’s. It would be a bold move. They had never discussed public displays of affection before. He didn’t know how Meta Knight would react. Most likely, it would be in anger.

Darkness fell. All around them, the holiday lights flickered on. The lights shining on the fountain were blue, and a crystal snowflake lit up at the top. Marth looked around in awe, temporarily distracted from his woes by the dazzling display. He didn’t notice that Meta Knight was looking only at him.

 _“How are things going?”_ came Peach’s voice.

 _“Fine,”_ Marth thought. _“The lights have just come on, and they’re beautiful! Meta Knight is…”_ he trailed off as he glanced over at the knight. Their eyes met. “What is it?” he asked aloud.

Saying nothing, Meta Knight reached up and brushed a lock of hair out of Marth’s face. _“Meta Knight is what?”_ Pit asked, but Marth was too flustered to answer. He leaned into Meta Knight’s touch as the knight caressed his face, all thought of dating etiquette thrown right out the window. Suddenly, he wasn’t thinking about his next move or what to say. In fact, he was completely tongue-tied.

Just then, there was a burst of activity from the other side of the square. The Animal Crossing villagers and Isabelle had come out of the café, and were making their way noisily towards Marth and Meta Knight. Meta Knight pulled back, and Marth couldn’t help a small sigh.

“I was thinking,” Marth said, hitting on an idea from earlier. “Perhaps we could see a movie.”

“If you wish,” Meta Knight said, hopping off of the bench and leading Marth to the theater.

 _“We’re going to the movies,”_ Marth thought.

 _“I thought you guys would be doing it by now,”_ Ike said.

 _“IKE!”_ Zelda thundered. _“For the last time…!”_

 _“Theater’s the best place to do it,”_ Falco said. _“TRUST me on that.”_

 _“What are you going to see?”_ Lucina had rejoined the group, from the sound of it.

_“I’m not sure… What should we see?”_

_“Well, if ya watch a sappy romance movie, you can kiss ya chances of scorin’ goodbye,”_ Falco said sagely.

 _“Oh, Falco… Romance movies are perfectly fine for a date,”_ Peach said. _“I prefer them!”_

 _“No… I don’t think Meta Knight would like that…”_ Marth said with a laugh in his head.

 _“Why not a scary movie?”_ Rosalina said.

 _“Ooh, yeah!”_ Pit agreed. _“Then you can cling to him during the scary parts!”_

 _“Here’s a novel idea: Why not ask him what he’d like to see?”_ Palutena said, and Marth blushed, realizing that he should have thought of that himself.

When he turned to ask Meta Knight his preference, he saw that the knight had been as quiet as he was. Perhaps he was upset, because Marth had been ignoring him. “What movie would you like to see?” Marth asked.

“I don’t care,” Meta Knight said. Marth almost stopped walking. The knight seemed distracted.

They chose an action flick, something that Master Hand had staged himself: Ridley vs. Arwing Fleet, The Musical. It wasn’t particularly interesting to the prince, but he tried to look amused, anyway. Glancing over at Meta Knight revealed that the knight seemed just as bored as Marth felt, though. His spirits sank.

 _“I don’t think this is going well,”_ Marth thought.

 _“Why not?”_ Peach asked. _“Didn’t you put your arm around him yet?”_

 _“I tried, but he didn’t even notice. It’s almost as if he’s ignoring me…”_ A crazy thought occurred to him. _“Don’t tell me you’re giving him advice, too.”_

 _“Of course not,”_ Zelda said. _“But I wonder if something’s on his mind…”_

Marth steeled himself, and placed a hand on Meta Knight’s. “Is something bothering you?” he whispered. There were few others in the theater, and they were all seated well apart from the couple.

Meta Knight didn’t reply for a while. Marth was thinking about asking again, when the knight said, “Truthfully, there’s something we need to discuss. But it can wait until the movie is over.”

 _“He says we need to talk,”_ Marth thought. To his confusion, there was a chorus of groans.

 _“Aww, man, you know what that means,”_ Falco said.

_“What?”_

_“How did he say it?”_ Rosalina asked.

_“I don’t know… He seems to be really lost in thought. Earlier he kept staring at me, but now he won’t even look at me.”_

_“Oh, no…!”_ Peach moaned.

_“What?!”_

_“It sounds like you’re getting the brushoff,”_ Ike said grimly.

_“What does that mean?”_

_“There’s only one thing that ‘we need to talk’ means,”_ Pit said. _“Sorry, Marth…”_

 _“What are you trying to say?”_ Marth’s face was getting hot in his frustration. His heart was beating fast.

The others stopped responding. Marth bit his lower lip, glancing at Meta Knight again. The knight was still staring at the screen stonily. What did it mean when someone said, “We need to talk”?

Marth spent the rest of the movie on pins and needles. He followed Meta Knight out of the theater and into the chilly night. “You said you wanted to talk,” Marth muttered.

“Not here,” Meta Knight said. “Let’s go this way.”

They walked along the street, taking in more lights as they went. Here and there another Smasher passed them by with a cheery wave or a nod, but Meta Knight barely noticed them. Even Marth could hardly remember his manners. He was in such a state of agitation that it was difficult to recognize anyone else.

Then Pit showed up, followed by Peach. “Hey, you two!” the angel said, jogging towards them up the street. “Fancy running into you here! The princess and I were just going for a walk.”

“O- oh, imagine that…” Marth laughed nervously. _“What are Princess Peach and Pit doing here?!”_ he thought.

 _“They thought they might come along and lend some help,”_ Zelda said.

“So, what are you up to? On a date?” Pit asked with all the subtlety of a tank covered in glow sticks.

“Something like that,” Marth said.

“How wonderful,” Peach sighed wistfully. “Love is such a great thing. It’s such a shame that some people throw it away before they truly allow it to blossom!”

“I think everyone should give love a chance,” Pit said. “I knew this couple who broke it off once, and they ended up miserable and alone. They really should have talked it over before going their separate ways.”

“Right,” Meta Knight said flatly. “If you’ll excuse us, then.” He walked past them, his step resolute, and Marth followed with a strange look to his two friends. They were looking helplessly back at him, and Pit shrugged.

“Good luck…!” the princess whispered. Once they were out of sight down the corner, she sighed again. “Look at those two… I wonder why Meta Knight wants to break up?”

“I dunno, but there’s not much we can do about it.” Pit’s wings drooped, then he perked up. “Hey, while we’re here, we can go to the bakery!”

“Oh, Pit, now’s not the time to think of sweets!” Peach said, tears glistening in her eyes. “There is a relationship on the brink of destruction, and we don’t even know why!”

“Er, yeah, but… It’s not like it’s really our business, right?”

“Of course, it is!” Peach said sternly. “They are our friends! We owe it to them to get involved, for their own good!”

“Uhm, OK… But how?”

“We need to stall them! Give Sir Meta Knight time to think over his decision. Pit, it’s almost Christmas! How awful would it be for him to break up with Marth right before Christmas?” Her eyes were shining with tears, her fists clenched at her sides in righteous fury. Pit certainly knew better than to try to dissuade a woman on a mission.

“Alright, Your Highness,” he said. “I’m at your service… but what can we do about it?”

“We need to do something that goes against every instinct in me…” She straightened her shoulders, and tossed her hair back. “We need to stop this date!”

>>><<< 

Meta Knight and Marth had walked almost completely across town before they had recovered from the strange encounter. Meta Knight had fallen silent again, and Marth was looking suspiciously around for any more sudden appearances. The knight led them to a little park. It was deserted, and partially obscured from the road by light-strewn evergreen hedges. Perfect.

Coming to rest on a wooden bench, Meta Knight invited Marth to sit next to him. “That was strange,” Marth said, breaking the silence.

“Now that we’re alone, there is something I’ve been meaning to bring up,” the knight said.

Marth waited, hearing his heartbeat in his ears, but Meta Knight never got to say anything more. A cheerful cry of, “Hey, you guys!” echoed across the park, and they both looked up to see a fiery red-headed man running up to join them.

“Roy, what are you doing here?” Marth asked, almost allowing his disappointment into his voice.

“I was on a nighttime jog,” Roy said, plopping down onto the bench next to Marth. “What are you guys doing here?”

“W- we were just… sitting here,” Marth said, embarrassed. Meta Knight wasn’t even paying attention to the conversation. He was staring in front of him with his cape wrapped around himself, and Marth could feel the tension rolling off of him.

“Nice night to enjoy the lights,” Roy said. “Hey, do you guys wanna come back and have a quick match?”

“Ah, no, that’s alright,” Marth said, glancing at Meta Knight nervously. “You go on, Roy.”

“Are you sure? I’ll let you pick the stage.”

Meta Knight stood up, and started walking away. “Come, Your Highness,” he said. Marth gave a quick nod to Roy before following the knight. Roy watched them go, and then pulled out the communicator that Fox had leant him. “No good,” he said. “They left.”

“That’s alright,” Peach’s voice came through the static. “We’ve got our next agent on the way. Thank you for your help, Roy!”

“No problem, Your Highness,” Roy said. “Oh! And I want chocolate, please!”

Peach giggled. “Of course!” She had had to promise at least a dozen cakes and pies to various Smashers, but it was an easy price to pay for their help when love was at stake.

Marth and Meta Knight, meanwhile, had gone back to the town square. This time, they were both glancing around suspiciously. “I think we’re alone now,” Marth said.

“This isn’t a good place to stop,” Meta Knight said. “Perhaps we should return to the castle.”

Before they could agree on this, though…

“Hey, Meta Knight!”

Marth groaned as Dedede came waddling towards them, with Kirby bouncing along behind him. The pink puffball went right to Marth and reached up to be held, which Marth obliged. There was just a barely-audible growl from Meta Knight.

“I need ya to come with me,” Dedede said.

“Oh? And why?” Meta Knight asked with none of his usual stoicism. He was starting to sound thoroughly pissed off.

“I, uhh…” Dedede scratched his head for a moment. “Oh! Uh, I need you to, uh, help me pick out a Christmas present. For, uh, someone.”

“I’m busy now,” Meta Knight said. “You’ll do fine on your own.”

“Yeah, but it’s, uh…” Dedede was trying to remember what Peach had told him to say. He had a triple-decker strawberry cake on the line, here. “Ya see, I’m supposed to watch Kirby, and the present’s for him! So, obviously, I can’t shop for him while he’s with me.”

“Go shopping some other time,” Meta Knight said.

“It’s OK,” Marth sighed. “I can watch him for you, Your Majesty. I don’t mind.”

“Great!” Dedede said.

“Kirby does not need constant supervision,” Meta Knight said, trying to keep his voice calm. “Just send him back to the castle.”

“Well, uh… Y’see, Peach said… I mean, uh…”

Marth and Meta Knight shared a look. “Peach, huh?” Marth mumbled. It was almost like she was trying to stop them from finishing their date. Just what was she trying to keep Meta Knight from saying?

“Enough,” Meta Knight said, reaching up and plucking Kirby from Marth’s arms. He set the child down, pointed towards the castle, and said, “Go home, Kirby.”

“Poyo!” The child happily bounded away, heading for the castle. Dedede could just see his cake vanishing in an instant.

“Now, you go home,” Meta Knight said to Dedede.

“I don’t have to -!” Dedede cut himself short when he saw the fierce look in Meta Knight’s eyes. “OK, OK!” He backed away a few steps, and then ran for it.

“Let’s go,” Meta Knight said.

As Dedede ran, Peach and Pit were watching from behind one of the shops on the square. “Ooh, that cowardly king!” Peach fumed.

“It looked like Meta Knight was pretty angry,” Pit said. “I’d be scared, too!”

“Well, we should have the town pretty well covered,” Peach said. “Come on!”

Marth and Meta Knight were starting to feel like they were at the center of a conspiracy. Unlike Meta Knight, though, Marth knew what it was all about. Part of him wished that the others would just leave them alone, but part of him was anxious about what Meta Knight wanted to talk about. It seemed that “we need to talk” was some kind of dating-specific code, and it was nothing good.

“Maybe we should go ahead back to the castle, like you suggested,” Marth said. “I really had a good time with you, though. Thank you.”

“There’s still something we need to discuss,” Meta Knight said grimly, his eyes scanning back and forth across the road ahead. So far, so good.

“Shouldn’t it wait? It seems we’re going to have a hard time finding a place to be alone.”

“This way,” Meta Knight said suddenly, leading Marth down an alleyway. He threw out his cape to cover them, and Marth found himself on a rooftop. He nearly fell over in his shock.

“Where did they go?!” A voice was echoing from the street below. Marth chanced a look over the edge of the roof, and saw Robin standing next to Shulk.

“Why are we doing this, again?” Shulk asked.

“Cake!” Robin said, and dragged his friend out of the alley again. “Come on, I think they went this way!”

“They seem to be looking for us…” Meta Knight said. “Do you know anything about this, Your Highness?”

“Ah…”

“No time now!” A shadow crossed over the moon, and they saw the faint red glow of Charizard with someone – probably Red – on his back. Meta Knight warped them away again, and Marth fell onto his hands and knees from the dizzying shift.

Meta Knight went off to case the area while Marth caught his breath again. When he stood up, he saw that they were near the sign welcoming them to Smashville.

“We first met again here,” Marth said softly. He was remembering the beginning of the Brawl tournament. After the fiasco with the Subspace Emissary, they had all been invited to join Master Hand’s tournament. It had been Meta Knight’s first time joining, and Marth’s second. When he had spotted the spherical warrior here at the entrance to Smashville, he had recognized him immediately. They had traveled through the wasteland together, after all. He’d been glad to see that he’d accepted the tournament invitation.

He turned to see Meta Knight looking at him. There was a slight blue tint to his eyes. “I remember,” he said. “You made quite an impression on me when we fought together the first time.” With armor clanking, Meta Knight stepped closer to Marth. “So young, but already so strong. And determined.”

A shout sounded through the night. Roy was running up to them. With a growl of frustration, Meta Knight held up his sword and brought it slashing down towards the ground. A bright beam of golden light shot out, and Roy screamed as he dove for cover behind some trees. The rift in the ground left in the beam’s wake was large enough for a man to fall through.

Marth thought they would warp again, but Meta Knight was determined to stand his ground. He turned to the prince again, but kept his sword unsheathed.

“When I first saw you, I got the sense that our fates were joined somehow,” he said. “First, as enemies. Then, as comrades. Later… as something a bit more.” Meta Knight’s deep voice carried on the still air, making Marth’s heart shudder. “Charging into battle with you made me feel alive in a way that I’ve seldom felt before. Fighting with you in the past few tournaments has given me an opportunity to watch you grow and learn, and with each passing year, you only grow more beautiful to me.”

With a war cry, Roy charged out from behind the trees. “I’m not gonna lose!” he shouted, raising his sword. Meta Knight didn’t even flinch. He sidestepped Roy’s charge, and kicked him in the back hard enough to send him sprawling face-first into the dirt.

“I have never done this before. It’s not… easy for me to show myself to others. But with you…” Roy was still just a few yards away, spitting out dirt and glaring over his shoulder. But Meta Knight didn’t seem to want to lose his momentum – or his courage. He was speaking quickly, as if he feared that he would lose the will to continue. “I know we are different. I know we aren’t even from the same world. I know that there are a million reasons against our relationship existing.”

Marth held his breath, and time seemed to stop altogether. Meta Knight sank into a bow just as Peach and Pit came dashing around the corner. “NOOOO!” Peach screamed, her hands out.

“WHAT, dammit?!” Meta Knight roared. His patience had run out.

“It doesn’t matter!” Peach gasped, panting with a hand to her chest. “Those reasons… they aren’t important! You shouldn’t break up with him just because you’re different!”

“Break up…?” Marth froze. Was that what Meta Knight was doing?

“So, that’s why you’ve had everyone follow us!” Meta Knight clenched his fists. “I appreciate your concern, princess, but this is none of your business.”

“Oh, b- but…” Peach put her hands to her mouth.

Meta Knight threw out his cape once more, and took himself and Marth into the forest. The prince’s head was spinning, and not just from the dimensional shift. He leaned against a tree. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Peach calling for them and Roy saying something about a cake. They were in the back of his mind, though. After all, they had only been trying to help.

“Meta Knight… What you were saying earlier…” Marth lowered his gaze. “Is it true?”

Meta Knight sighed, and removed his mask. He could feel a headache coming on. “Listen to me, Marth.” The use of his name caught the prince’s attention. He looked upward to meet Meta Knight’s gaze. “It is true that there are many things weighed against us.”

Marth bit his lip nervously. This was it, then.

“But there is one very important reason for us to remain together… And that is that I love you.”

Marth gasped. Everything else dissolved from view, as Meta Knight held out his hand. Glinting in the light from the knight’s eyes was a ring. “I want us to remain together for however long we can. Should there ever come an end to this tournament, I want to keep you beside me. Will you stay with me?”

“I- I will,” Marth’s breath left him all at once, and he fell to his knees. “M- Meta Knight…”

They ended up in a close embrace, and Marth found himself kissing the knight. Tears made their way down his cheeks without him realizing it, until Meta Knight reached up to wipe them away. The cold ground barely registered to Marth. All he could feel was the warmth of Meta Knight’s body, and the warmth radiating from within himself; a warmth that absorbed all of the worries he’d had moments ago, until there was nothing left but the two of them and the ring sliding onto his finger.

>>><<< 

Peach was depressed. She had called off Operation: Cock Block (so named by Falco), and was now sitting in the lounge with a cup of cocoa. Pit was sitting next to her on the puffy gray couch, patting her shoulder consolingly. “I just hate breakups,” she sniffed.

“I know, I know,” Pit said soothingly. “But hey, at least it wasn’t you getting broken up with!”

“That’s so selfish,” Peach huffed. “When you really care for a friend, anything that happens to them is as painful as if it were happening to you!”

Pit seriously doubted that anyone else in the universe would take friendship that far, but he wasn’t one to kick someone while they were down. “Hey, once Marth comes back, I’m sure he’ll need some sympathy and a shoulder to cry on,” Pit said. Being useful to someone always cheered Peach up.

“How awful…” Peach sighed.

They heard the front doors open – an echoing bang and the brief sound of wind blowing through the doorway. The princess and the angel froze, listening. Soft voices were heard in the foyer, and then someone in armor clanked up the stairs nearby. Someone else walked past the lounge doorway, and then paused. It was Marth.

“Princess Peach,” he said, coming in. “I was just looking for you…”

“Oh, Marth!” she cried, leaping up to embrace him. Pit had to jump to avoid getting splashed with hot cocoa. “It’s OK, I’m here for you! Pit’s here for you, too, aren’t you, Pit?”

“I’m alright,” he said, pulling away, and Peach noticed that his face seemed remarkably tear-free. His eyes weren’t even red and puffy. “I just wanted to say that I appreciate your concern for us, but you didn’t have to go to all that trouble…”

“I just wish I could have done more,” Peach said, moving to sit down again. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Well, uh…” Marth sat in an armchair across from her. “Actually… We didn’t break up.”

“Oh, great!” Pit said.

“Really? You talked it over?”

Marth’s face was slightly pink, and not from the cold outside. “That wasn’t Sir Meta Knight’s intention.”

“What?!” Peach and Pit gasped.

“What did he wanna talk about, then?” Pit asked.

“This…” Marth held out his left hand. It took the other two a moment to notice the golden ring gleaming on his finger, but when they did, the screech that Peach let out was deafening.

“OHMYGOD, Marth!” She leapt out of her seat, and Marth found himself suffocated in her embrace again. Had he been straight, perhaps he would have appreciated the opportunity to have his face squished in her cleavage; instead, he was just plain embarrassed. He pulled away as soon as he possibly could.

“Congratulations!” Pit said, his wings fluttering.

“Oh, this is wonderful!” Peach was positively beaming. “But when should we have the wedding? Christmas would be perfect, but it’s too soon… OH! Valentine’s Day!”

If Peach was empathetic to her friends’ sorrows, she was doubly so for their joys – though Marth found it far more likely that she found great entertainment from meddling in people’s affairs, and she loved anything to do with weddings. Soon she was talking a mile a minute about the cake, about the place, about the time, about what everyone should wear.

With an apologetic glance to Pit, Marth slipped out of the room unnoticed and ran up the stairs as quickly as he could before she realized he was gone.

>>><<< 

Meta Knight stood by his bedroom window, staring out at the night. The lights were out, and he could see the stars clearly. Tonight hadn’t gone as smoothly as he had hoped, but now that the deed was done, he felt a great sense of relief.

A knock came at the door, but Meta Knight knew who it was. “Enter,” he said, and Marth came into the room in a brief flash of light from the hallway. The prince closed the door behind himself, and came to join Meta Knight at the window. “I told Peach and Pit,” he said. Meta Knight just grunted. “Don’t be angry with them. They were only trying to help…”

“I can’t help but wonder what gave them the idea that I was breaking up with you,” Meta Knight said. He glanced over at Marth, and saw that the prince was looking sheepishly out the window.

“Well… That would be my fault.” He explained what had happened, and why he had wanted Peach and the others to give him advice. Meta Knight chuckled softly.

“I never thought about it, but I suppose that would have been your first date,” Meta Knight said. “It was mine, as well.”

“Really?”

“You probably could have said or done anything, and I wouldn’t have known whether it had broken dating etiquette or not.”

Marth groaned, and sank onto the bed. “Once again, I overthought the situation.”

“I don’t mind, but I admit I was getting anxious. I thought there was a conspiracy of some kind.”

Marth smiled, and leaned against the knight when he hopped up on the bed. “If you need to check in on wedding etiquette, I don’t mind you seeking advice from them,” Meta Knight said. “Just don’t ask them for advice on the wedding night, because I’m not sure there will be room enough in here for all of them.”

A soft smack to the back of his head was a fair price to pay for this quip, and Meta Knight laughed quietly as Marth buried his face in his shoulder, his cheeks flaming red.

**Author's Note:**

> Ever since Beachball42 suggested that Meta Knight should propose to Marth in my other story, I couldn't get the idea out of my head! It just made me feel all warm and fuzzy, down in that area of my brain that the doctors have tried in vain to make normal (all of it, that is).


End file.
